The Thought Behind the Gifts

Family Search's question for December 23rd was: What are the most memorable and treasured gifts you have received in your life?

I have received many amazing gifts throughout my life, but there are three that stick out: my cat Tiger, a bookcase, and clothes for Luna her first Christmas.

My parents gave me a kitten for my 8th birthday/baptism. This was a really big deal because neither my mom nor dad grew up with pets and neither really liked cats. I had been begging them for a cat since I could talk, but we couldn't have any pets while living in apartments. They gave me Tiger a year after we moved into our house. Giving me a cat was a big way they showed me how much they loved me. Tiger touched all of our hearts during his 18 years of life - even my dad no matter what he says. 😉

Gerson gave me a bookcase our third Christmas. For the first two and a half years of marriage, we just stacked our school books on the floor. Our collection was growing, and I was adding books for pleasure reading as well. When Gerson asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I tentatively said a bookcase. He found a good deal and we assembled it together. I'm a huge bookworm, so a bookcase is a pretty great gift!

We blessed Luna the December after she was born, so Gerson's family came to Utah for Christmas. Most Christmases Gerson's parents have us buy the gifts that are from them and they pay us back. That year they bought and wrapped the presents themselves since they were going to actually see us. Since Luna was only 3 months old I opened her gifts for her. Gerson's family got her a bunch of clothes, and the colors and styles they got showed how much they pay attention to me and what I like. As I gushed over each outfit they said, "These gifts are more for Chelsey than Luna!" I really felt loved by them. 

I hope that I have been as thoughtful in the gifts that I have given my loved ones, and I hope I can continue to be thoughtful in the future. Gift giving has really changed since becoming a mother. I love picking out Benjamin's and Luna's gifts, and I love watching them open their gifts!